Time for Fine Gael to end hospital recruitment ban
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said it is time for the Government to end their recruitment ban in our hospitals.
This comes as 760 patients have been reported to be on trolleys by the INMO – the worst day of overcrowding on record.
Deputy Kelly said:
“The trolley numbers today are a damning indictment of 9 years of Fine Gael at the helm in health.
“Fine Gael have presided over a recruitment ban in our health system for nearly a year now, depriving overcrowded emergency departments of much needed staff who could help ease the pressure.
“Staff in hospitals that are particularly overcrowded such as University Hospital Limerick and in the two Cork University hospitals are extremely distressed by the state of our accident and emergency systems. Staff are overworked and over stressed, and this can’t be allowed to continue.
“This is the busiest time of year in our hospitals, this situation wasn’t unforeseen but the Government and the HSE have refused to heed the very stark warnings.
“I am not one bit surprised by the extremely high trolley numbers in University Hospital Limerick, my thoughts are with the patients and their families and management and staff who are dealing with the crisis in the ED there today.
“Minister Harris and his officials need to produce a bespoke plan with immediate deliverable actions for University Hospital Limerick.
“Additional bed capacity and extra staff are crucial to solving the crisis in University Hospital Limerick. This needs to be dealt with.
“The usual excuses on why this crisis is underway won’t wash with the public or with hospital staff.
“It is time for Minister Harris to come clean on when the recruitment ban will be suspended.”